The blog of the radio announcer for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, the Midwest League affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.

MWL Championship Series – Game One Eleven after #11

I will never get sick of pictures like this one. Photo Credit Ann Mollica

It’s a really, really quick turnaround with a 12:05pm game tomorrow.

So a few quick stats and notes from Game One.

The Rattlers were outhit 7-4, scored two runs on wild pitches, and won their fifth straight game.

Wisconsin’s pitching stayed incredible. One earned run in ten innings lowered their Team ERA to 1.00 in the playoffs

Jacob Barnes went seven innings and allowed one earned run for the SIXTH consecutive quality start in six playoff games

During the five game winning streak, Timber Rattlers starters have pitched 39 innings and allowed five runs – three earned. That is an ERA of 0.69 for the starters.

Brent Suter got into the act with three scoreless innings. That would be seven scoreless innings in the last three games for the relievers.

Overall, the Rattlers ERA during the last five game is a REE-gosh-darn-DICULOUS 0.59.

Back to the runs scoring on wild pitches. When he first took over as the manager of the Timber Rattlers, one of the things that Matt Erickson told me at Spring Training, 2011 was that the Brewers want their players to focus on good reads on pitches in the dirt. Both Brandon Macias, who scored from second on a wild pitch in the first inning, and Rafael Neda, who scored the winning run in the tenth, got great reads and scored huge runs!

Duanel Jones stepped on the calf of Nick Ramirez on a play at first in the tenth inning. Ramirez stayed in the game, but – MAN – did that look like it hurt.

Make fun of #bunttowin all you want. It’s working for the Timber Rattlers. Two more sacrifice bunts on Wednesday gives Wisconsin seven sacrifice bunts in six postseason games. Both bunts tonight set up runs.

The 2012 Timber Rattlers continue to chart uncharted territory. This is the fourth Midwest League Championship Series for Wisconsin. Wednesday was the first time the Rattlers have won a Game One in the MWLCS. This 1-0 lead in the Finals also marks the first time Wisconsin has had a lead in the Finals. That is something that the 1996, 1999, and 2005 teams never did. Two more wins and there will be some real uncharted territory.

Why Eleven after Eleven since it was only a ten inning game? Wednesday was “walkoff” win #11 this season. What a ride and it didn’t even cost me an E Ticket.

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